Equalizing device for car-trucks



3 Sheets-Sheet, 1.

(No Model.)

J A BRILL & W S ADAMS EQUALIZING DEVICE FOR GAR TRUCKS.

Patented June 7, 1892.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. A. BRILL & W. S. ADAMS. EQUALIZING DEVICE FOR GAR TRUCKS.

Patented June 7, 1892.

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Patented June 7,' 1892.

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EQUALIZING DEVICE FOR. OAR TRUCKS.

(No Model.)

am M WW y W my? 52 UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE,

JOHN A. BRILL AND WALTER S. ADAMS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

EQUALIZING DEVICE FOR CAR-TRUCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 476,24=4=,dat ed June7, 1892. Application filed November 7, 1891. serial No. 411,160, (Nomodel.)

1'0 wZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN A. BRILL and WALTER S. ADAMs,both citizens ofthe United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have made certain new and usefulImprovements in Gar-Trucks and Equalizing Devices for the Same, of whichthe following is a specification.

Our invention has relation to equalizing devices for railway-cars andthe improvements in trucks resulting from the use of "said devices, saidequalizing devices being of the form which in the event of one end ofthe car becoming loaded, and consequently tending to depress it to agreater extent than the other end of the car, are by such load at ordepression of one end of the car brought into action to correspondinglylower the other end of the car, so as to distribute or equalize suchload for keeping the car balanced and preventing the inclination of thecar and undue oscillation of the body lncident thereto.

As heretofore constructed equalizing devices, so far as we know, havebeen mounted or journaled upon the truck-axles or sup ported ontransverse bars, which in turn are secured to the side beams of what istermed the axle-box frame or to the axle-box connections. Examples ofthese forms are shown in the patents to H. J. Tate, No. 387,827, datedAugust 14, 1888,'and J. A. Brill, No. 418,440, dated December 31, 1889.The first stated method is objectionable for the reason that thefriction of such devices on'the axles makes the car run hard and morepower is required to propel it, and it is expensive to construct andkeep it in, repair. Under the second method it is usual to stretchtransverse bars between the side beams within the axles to support thehorizontal levers. In motortrucks constructed either for the purpose ofcarrying a grip-frame or motor this would be objectionable, for thereason that the space between the axles should be unencumbered and asfree as possible.

The equalizing device in some of the before-stated methods of supporthave been longitudinally disposed under the car-body above and below theaxles and within the wheels. This brings the point where the ends of theequalizing-levers are secured to the car-body nearer to the longitudinalcenter of the truck and car-body, and should one side of the car beloaded heavier than the other there is nothing in such disposition ofthe parts of such device to transfer to the other side of the car itsdepression and equalize the weight, nor is such possible where thelevers are secured to axle-box connection. The only efiect the deviceson one side of the car will have will be to depress one side equallywith the other. This depression of one side of the car may or may not bea detriment, and it also may not occur to a very large extent; but if itshould occur the arrangement of the levers, as before described, enablesthe car-body to take a rocking motion 011 its supporting-springs, andthe nearer the connection of the levers of the devices are made to thelongitudinal center of the car, so much more will such disposition aidthe car in taking a rocking motion.

Furthermore, so far as we now know, it has been the practice to mountthe car-body on the truclssprings, steadying both springs and thecar-body 0n the axle-boxes by means of a pedestal or housing orspring-posts passing from the car-body to the axle-boxes or axleboxconnections, and this has been the practice whether equalizing deviceshave been placed upon the truck or not.

Our invention has for its object to avoid the beforedescribedobjections; and we attain, this end by supporting the equalizing-levers;which are directly connected to the car-body,

upon the side beams or bars of the axle-box frame, contradistiuguishedfrom supporting them upon bars, extending between the said side bars oraxle-box connections; also, uniting the longitudinally-extending leversof the device together, so that the action on or de pression of one endof the car or one side of the car will be transferred to both ends andboth sides equally, so that the car will always ride with a level body,and rocking or trans,

verse oscillation thereby prevented,'and to further insure against thisrocking motion we secure the levers, which extend between the side barsand the car'body, outside of the Wheels.

In our arrangement of the parts of the device the horizontal levers onboth sides are united by diagonally-extending rods, whicl1 when thecar-springs are under tension are very close together and are supportedbelow the side bars, so as to be free and clear and not encumber theopen space between the wheels. The bars connecting the longitudinal rodswork in a horizontal plane, and by reason of the further fact that theside beams to which they are secured remain at a permanent height abovethe track said transverse bars can be located as much below the axle-boxframe as desirable to free the space between the axles. We thereforeeliminate from this space all horizontally-disposed rods and allupwardly-extending levers, connecting the horizontal rods, and diminishthe number of transversely-extending'su'pports for said h0ri zont'allevers. We use but one'transverselyextending bar, which in its turn canbe used for supportinga motor or grip mechanism.

In our device very little stress is put upon the transverse bar and nodownward strain from the equalizer at all, except its weight, so that noextra friction is brought upon the axles, whereas in the methods beforedescribed extra friction is brought upon the axles :by reason of thelongitudinal rods being given a lifting movement instead of a pullingmovement.

In the cases where the longitudinal bars are given a lifting movementthey are usually connected together between the axles by up wardly-extending links, which place the inner ends of the longitudinal rods somedistance apart, and when mobile occupy considerable verticalspace, andwhen under action require a greater space or clearance for movement. Itfollows from'this arrangement that the rods and connecting-links shouldbe located high enough above the roadway to permit of the movement ofthose parts, and in doing this 'mu'ch'space which could otherwise beutilized for a motor or grip is occupied.

These further objections are also -obviated by our structure.

In our device wears also enabled to entirely eliminate pedestals,housings, or spring-posts for either the axle-box or springs, andthereby secure a much cheaper and lighter truck, while strength andrigidity of parts are at the same time retained. All bracings for thepedestals and spring-posts are-also eliminated.

Our device when used with what is called an independent truck forms atruck structure from which can be omitted the pedestals, housings, or.spring-posts, and bracing for the same, in which case the uprightlovers of the devices are secured to what is known as an upper chord,the only connection between said upper chord and the axle-box or theaxlebox frame being the springs and equalizinglevers, so that thecar-body will be, when secured to the upper chord, as rigidly held onthe truck as it would be were pedestals or spring-posts used. Instead,however, 'of' securingthe equalizing-levers to the upper chord, saidequalizing device can be secured directly to the car-body.

In trucks where an upper chord is used it is usual to run braces fromspring-post to spring-post and thence to the upper chord. In the presentcase the equalizing-levers not only take the place of the spring-posts,but

do away with the necessity of using these braces. This is also true incases where braces have been led either from the axleboxes or axle-boxconnections or pedestals to the upper chord or car-body.

Our device can also be used for the purpose of eliminating those partsfrom the truck structure even it such device be not used for the purposeof equalizing the depressionot the car-body on its springs, 'andso faras the structure illustrated in the drawings is concerned it would onlybe necessary to remove the horizontal and transverse elements oft'hedevice, "retaining the upright elements between the car or upper chordand the side bars toaccomplish this.

Our invention accordingly consists of the combination, construction, andarrangement of parts, as hereinafter described in the specification, andpointed out in the claims.-

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification,

in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a truck constructed accordingto our invention, showing certain longitudinal parts broken away for thepurpose'of saving space in illustration; Fig. 2, a plan having the samecharacter istics, and also to disclose certain parts; Fig.

3, an end elevation; and Fig. 4: a transverse sectional elevation takenapproximately on the line 0c 00, Fig. 2.

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

In the drawings, 1 are the wheels, and 2 the axles.

8 are the axle-boxes, and 4 the axle-box saddles.

5 is the upper chord.

When the equalizing device is not to be used on an independent truck,(where the truck has an upper chord adapted to be-bolted directly to thecar-sills, thus avoiding the use of separate saddles) the word sill isused as synonymous with upper chord.

In the preferred structure shown in the drawings the axle-box saddlesare provided 'Wltll extensions 6, which provide seats for thetruck-springs 7, the upper ends of said springs being held byspring-caps S, which springcaps in turn are secured to the upper chord.An elastic cushion or block 9 may be placed between the saddles and theaxle-boxes." To

the extensions 6 of the saddles 4 are secured by the bolts 10 the sidebars 11 of the axlebox frame, which are extended beyond the axleboxes.These bars on one side of the truck or when both sides are laterallyunited IIO arcane form what is known as an axle-box frame, which is notaffected by the action of the car on its springs, and when flexiblysupported on the axle-boxes is not subject to the lateral thrust of theaxle.

The specific form of the axle-box frame and running-gear, as well as thegeneral detail of the truck, may be altered without departing from thespirit of our invention.

A channel-beam 12 extends transversely of the truck between the sidebars, it being supported thereon by the strap 13 and bolts 15. Any otherform of beam can be used, and likewise the method of supporting on theside bars can be altered at pleasure. A bolt 16 depends from thechannel-beam 12, the enlarged head thereof having a washer 17 under it.

Levers 18 in the shape of bell-cranks, having bosses 19, Fig. 3, arefulcrumed by means of the bolts 20, passing through said bosses, to thecontiguous side bars 11 of the axle-box frame. The upper arms of theselevers extend away from the fulcra, and the lower arm extends downwardlyfrom the t'ulcra. The upper arm being the longest, the leverage is verygreat. The extended ends 21 of the upper chord 5 have secured theretothe journalblock 22, said block being provided with holes for thepassage of bolts 23. Depending from the said journal-boxes are links24:, having bifurcated extremities, the upper end embracing the upperarm of the upright lever 18, to which it is secured by the bolts 25. Allthese connections are pivotal.

By reason of the upper chord 5 being secured to the axle-box frame orstationary part of the truck by means of the lever 18 and link 24 thenecessity for using pedestals, housings, or spring-posts to restrain thetruck upon the axle-box is obviated, and also the axle-box frame beinglocated outside of the wheels the journal-box 22 can be secured eitherto the upper chord or car-sill to the car-body at its extreme side,thereby obviating the rocking motion before set forth. The links 24 andupi right levers 18 take up the longitudinal strain of the car on thetruck, so that the necessity of using bracing, as before described, isnot here necessary.

Two transverse rods 26 27 extend diagonally across the truck, theyfinding their fulcrum on the bolt 16. The washer 28 is placed betweenthe rod 27 and the nut of said bolt. By reference to Fig. 1 it will beseen that these two rods are supported above the lower arm of the lever18. In the present structure to support these transverse rods at anydesired height it is only necessary to use a longer or shorter thimble29, which surrounds the bolt 16 and which extends between thechannelbeam 12 and the uppermost rod 26. Extending between the lowerarms of the lovers 18 and the ends of the transverse rods 26 27 areconnecting-rods 3O 31 32 33, the connecting rods 30 33 being connectedto the transverse rod 26 and the connecting-rods 31 32 being curing saidrods to the transverse rods.

connected to the transverse rod 27. All the horizontal connecting-rodsare bifurcated at both ends and are secured to the lower arm of thelever 18 by the bolts 34, the bolts se- All the connections are pivotal.

It must be plain from the foregoing that if the car becomes overweightedat one end that end will be depressed, said depression bring' ing thetransverse levers 26 27 together, and by reason of their alternatedconnection with 18, which in turn are connected to the carbod y or upperchord of the truck, a like depression will be given to that end of thetruck or car opposite that upon which the original load is had. Likewiseif one side of the truck becomes depressed a corresponding depres sionwill be given the other side of the truck, so that whatever depressiontakes place on any part of the truck said depression will be transferredequally to the other parts of the truck, bringing the car-body down onthe supporting-springs equally at all points.

Instead of using the straight transverse channel-beam 12 an arched ordepressed one could be used, or the spring could rest on the side barsor modifications of the same, and many other changes and modificationscan be made without altering the character of our invention.

Although we have stated that by our construction spring-posts, housings,or pedestals can be eliminated from the truck and the car supportedfirmly without them, yet under 'cer tain conditions itmay be foundadvantageous to use them, and it is our intention that such may be donewithout in any way changing the nature of our invention.

WVhat we claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. A truck having side bars, upwardly-extending levers pivotally securedto said side bars, and devices for securing the said upwardly-extendinglevers to the car-body'or upper chord of the truck and for uniting themlongitudinally and transversely,substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a truck, of wheels and runninggear for thesame,side bars supportedon the running-gear, upright levers pivotall ysecured to the side bars, an upper chord or car-sill, springs betweensaid upper chord or sill and the runninggear, and means for securingsaid upper chord or sill to the upright levers and for uniting themlongitudinally and trz'msversely, substantially as described.

3. In a truck, the combination of the upright levers pivotallysupportedon the truck and a car-sill or upperchord supported on said uprightlevers, the upright levers on both sides of the truck being mechanicallyunited by longitudinally and transverselydisposed rods and levers,substantially as described.

4:. In a truck, upright levers pivotally sup- ITO ported upon saidtruck, a car-sill or upper chord supported on said upright levers, andlongitudinal rods secured to said upright levers below their fulcrum,the said upright levers and longitudinal rods on both sides of the truckbeing mechanically united, substantially as described.

5. In a truck, the combination of the following instrumentalities forholding or supporting a car-body on a truck, comprising the upperchordor car-sill, springs without springposts or housings between saidchord or sill and the running-gear of the truck and upon which the upperchord or car-sill issupported, and upright levers uniting the said chordor sill and running-gear, and longitudinal rods connecting the uprightlevers, substantially as described.

6. The following instrumentalities for supporting a car-body on atruck-frame: running-gear, side bars supported on the runninggear, anupper chord or car-sill, springs between the chord or sill and the sidebars, upright levers pivotally secured to the side bars and to the chordor sill, and longitudinal and transverse rods and levers secured to theupright levers, substantially as described.

7. The following instrumentalities for supporting a car-body on a truck,comprising the side bars supported on the running-gear, up

right levers pivotally secured to the side bars,

links pivotally secured to the upright levers, an upper chord orcar-sill supported upon said links, and springs between said upper chordor sill and the side bars, substantially as described.

8. The following instrumentalities for supporting a car-body on a truck,comprising a stationary element of the truck structure, a sill or upperchord, springs between the stationary part of the frame and the upperchord or sill, and articulated devices between said stationary part ofthe frame and said upper chord or sill, substantially as described.

9. In a truck having side bars, the combination of the upper chord 0rcar-sill, upright levers fulcrumed on the side bars and secured to theupper chord or sill, longitudinal rods secured to the upright leversbelow their fulcra, and transverse levers uniting the longitudinal rods,substantially as described.

10. In a truck having side bars, the combination of the upper chord orcar-sill, upright levers fulcrumed on the side bars and secured to theupper chord or sill, longitudinal rods secured to the upright leversbelow their f ulcra, transverse levers, and springs between the saidchord or sill and side bars, substantially as described.

11. An equalizing device having upright levers and longitudinal rod, thesaid upright levers being adapted to be secured to the upper chord ofthe truck or sill of the car, the longitudinal rod being transverselyconnected, substantially as described.

12. An equalizing device having upright levers, longitudinally-parallelrods, and transverse levers alternately connected with the longitudinalrods, and a fulcrum for each transverse rod, substantially as described.

13. An equalizing device having upright le- .vers,longitudinally-parallel rods, and transverse levers alternatelyconnected with the longitudinal rods, and a mutual fulcrum for Y thetransverse rods, substantially as described.

14. In a truck having side bars extending outwardly from the axle-boxes,an upper chord or car-sill extending past said axleboxes, andequalizing-levers extending between the extended upper chord or sill andthe extended side bars and connected by hori zontal rods, substantiallyas described.

vers, substantially as described.

17. In a truck having side bars extending past the axle-boxes, an upperchord or car-sill extending past said axle-boxes, equalizing devicesextending between the extended upper chord or sill and the side bars,and devices for longitudinally and transversely connecting said levers,substantially as described.

18. A truck having an upper chord and side 19. A truck having contiguousside bars spaced apart, an upper chord and longitudinal rods connectingthe said upright levers, and equalizing-levers supported on said sidebars between the juxtaposed members thereof and secured to the upperchord, substantially as described.

20. In a truck, an equalizing device having upright levers supported onthe side bars thereof, horizontal rods secured to the upright leverswhich extend under the said side bars, and a support for the inner endsof said horizontal rods, which support is located below the horizontalplane of the axles, substantially as described.

21. In a truck havingside bars, an equalizing device having horizontalrods on both sides of the truck, transverse levers connecting thehorizontal rods, and a support for said transverse levers carried by theside bars, substantially as described.

22. A truck having side bars,an equalizing device comprising uprightlevers and horizontal rods supported upon the side bars and transverselevers uniting said horizontal rods, said transverse levers beingcarried by the side bars and supported below the horizontal axis of theaxles, substantially as described.

23. In an equalizing device, the combination, with the side bars of theaxle-box frame, of the. upright levers 18, fulerumed on said bars, thearms of which extend above and below said side bars, upwardly-extendinglinks 24, supported on the levers 18, devices for connecting the uprightlevers, and an upper chord or car-sill 5, supported on said links,substantially as described.

24. In an equalizing device, the combination of the side bars of theaxle-boxframe with the uprightlevers 18, fulcrumed to the side bars,devices for connecting the upright levers, an upper chord or car-sill 5,the journal-blocks 22, secured to said upper chord or sill, and thelinks 24, pivotally uniting said journal-blocks and levers 18,substantially as described.

25. The side bars 11, the levers 18, fulcrumed on said side bars,devices for connecting the upright levers, the upper chord 5, springsbetween the side bars and upper chord, the journal-blocks 22, secured tothe upper chord, and links 24, uniting the levers 18 and journal-blocks,substantially as described.

26. Side bars 11, the upright. levers l8, fulcrumed on said side bars,the upper end of said levers 18 having links 24, the upper chord orcar-sill 5, supported on said links, horizontal rods 30 31 32 33,secured to the levers 18, and transverse levers 26 27, secured to saidhorizontal rods, substantially as described.

27. An equalizing device comprising an upper chord or car-sill 5, links24, depending therefrom, levers 18, suitably supported and united tosaid links, horizontal rods 30 31 32 33, united to said levers 18, andtransverse levers 26 27, uniting said horizontal rods, substantially asdescribed.

28. An equalizing device comprising the levers 18, suitably supported,links 24 on said levers, horizontal rods 30 31 32 33, secured to saidlevers, and transverse levers 26 27, connecting said horizontal rods,substantially as described.

29. An equalizing device comprising the levers 18, links 24 on saidlevers, horizontal rods 30 31 32 33, secured to said levers below theirfulcra, and transverse bars 26 27, uniting said horizontal rods, the bar26 being secured to the rods 30 33 and the bar 27 to the rods 31 32,substantially as described.

30. An equalizing device having horizontal rods and a plurality oftransverse levers, each one of said levers being secured at each end toa horizontal rod leading in opposite directions, said levers crossingeach other, substantially as described. A

31. The horizontal rods 30 31 32 33 and the transverse levers 26 27,said horizontal rods being in operative connection with the upper chord,the lever 26 being secured to the rods 30 33 and the lever 27 to therods 31 32, substantially as described.

32. The combination of the side bars 11, transverse beam 12, strap 13,uniting the side bars and beam 12, the bolt- 16, depending from the saidbeam 12, and the transverse bars 2627, fulcrumed on said bolt and operatively connected with other levers to the upper chord or sill,substantially as described.

33. The side bars 11, transverse beam 12, supported on said side bars, abolt 16, hung from said beam 12, transverse levers 26 27, fulcrumed onsaid bolt, and the thimble 29 between the beam 12 and transverse levers,the levers 26 27 being operatively connected With other levers to theupper chord or sill, substantially as described.

34:. The side bars 11, transverse beam 12, supported on said side bars,a bolt 16, hung from said beam, a thimble 29, supported about the bolt16, and levers, combined with a carsill or upper chord supported by thesaid bolt, substantially as described.

35. The side bars 11, bell-crank levers 18, having bosses 19, fulcrumedbetween the side bars, one arm of said lever extending below said sidebars, the other arm extending above it, links having bifurcated endspivoted to the upper arm of said levers, journal-blocks embraced by oneend of the links, and an upperchord on said 3' ournal-blocks, and meansfor connecting the levers 18, substantially as described.

36. The side bars, the levers 18, fulcrumed .thereto, the longer armthereof extending upwardly and outwardly and the short arm downwardlyaway from its fulcra, and means for connecting said short arms,substantially as described.

Signed at the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State ofPennsylvania, this 5th day of November, 1891.

JOHN A. BRILL. WALTER. S. ADAMS. Witnesses:

HOWARD DIOKEY, HENRY O. ESLING.

